Negotiations at The Shed – Decisions to Make!
22 December 2022
We were back in The Shed at the end of December to carry on discussions. During this meeting we tossed around a few names for a production company we would need to get the show on the road. Nigel had thought of a few that were anagrams of our first names, or just the first few letters (Benito anyone?). Eventually when Brian saw Nigel’s T Shirt he came up with Tin Orb – the Westwood orb was glowing from Nigel’s T, so it seemed kind of serendipitous! Tin Orb it was – all we needed was a good logo. Brian of course is an accomplished artist and graphic designer and offered to design a logo. Nigel, impatient as ever went down the AI route, and after many failed attempts, (AI programs rarely interpret words very well!) came up with the one below, which has now been officially adopted – Tin Orb Ltd is now the official production company name.
A few other details were discussed at The Shed – including likely venues. It was approaching Christmas so there was little that could be done before the new year.
Near the top of the list was HOME in Manchester. We couldn’t think of a better sited venue for the play, sitting as it does on the Tony Wilson Way/Whitworth St triangle, almost directly opposite what was The Hacienda and Little Peter Street, the site of Tony’s TJM studios. We were excited! It seemed such an obvious place. We discussed Tony doing a pre-theatre talk outside the site of his old place! Things were hotting up!
Other venues across the North were also discussed – Sheffield, Liverpool, Bury, Huddersfield. Chorley (We had already approached Mark Jones, their Artistic Director about directing the play). We’d managed to get the financials from the previous run so were able to filter out the venues that had cost too much.
Around this time Nigel was having discussion with his friend Chris Hewitt from CH Vintage Audio, collector of rare sound equipment used by a wide variety of bands from Emerson Lake and Palmer to The Sex Pistols and .. Joy Division. “Why don’t you hold a mini exhibition at the venues?” suggested Chris. Oh and by the way I’ve got time-correct vintage equipment you could use in the play”
Take a look at Nigel’s interview with Chris Hewitt at his storage facility!
Our minds spun at the prospect of not only using the correct gear on stage but having a full on exhibition.
Contracts were signed, a shortlist of venues shortlisted. The show was most definitely going to get on the road!
